Edirneh-gate (Adrianople), the commander was Sa’dí Páshá, who having dwelt along with Jem-Sháh in Firengistán, had learned many thousand military arts. Being united heart and soul with the valiant men from Isfendiyár stationed at that gate, they vied with him in their heroic deeds, remembering the prophetic tradition that says “We shall be the conquerors of Kostantaniyyeh” (Constantinople). Seven places are yet shewn near that gate where they battered down the wall. Hersek-Oghlú Ahmed Páshá had the command at the Crooked-gate (Egrí-kapú), where by many straight-forward blows he sidled himself into the midst of the infidels till he reduced them all to a mummy. In this way Kostantaniyyeh had been besieged for twenty days, without any signs of its being conquered. The Moslem warriors, the seventy Unitarians, and three thousand learned ’Ulemás, favourites of God (Evliyá-llah), masters of the decrees of the four orthodox sects, began to be afflicted by the length of the siege, and with one accord offered up their prayers to the Creator for his aid, when suddenly there was darkness over Islámból, with thunder and lightning; a fire was seen to ascend to the vault of heaven from the Atmeïdán; the strongest buildings flew into the air, and were scattered over sea and land. On that day three thousand infidels fled from the city, through alarm and terror. Some were honoured by the profession of Islám, and admitted into the emperors service; others fled to different countries; but the rest, who would not abandon the faith of the Messiah, set to work to repair the breaches, and continued firm in their resistance. They were much pressed, however, by want of food and ammunition. On the thirtieth day of the siege, Sultán Mohammed having placed the ’Urf (_i.e._ the judicial turban) on his head, and sky-coloured boots on his feet, mounted a mule which might rival Duldul (Mahomet’s steed), made the round of the walls, and distributed largesses among his troops. He then passed over with many thousand men from Iyyúb to Kághid khánah, and crossing the streams of Alí Beg Kóï and Kághid Khánah came to the place called Levend-chiftlik, where forty ships (firkatah) had also been built. These, like the former, they moved on rollers to the Ok-meïdán, and launched them at the Sháh-kúlí stairs into the sea, filled with some thousand scarlet scull-capped Arabs, burning as brandy, and sharp as hawks. SECTION XI.